


love like this

by paisleystyles



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Picnics, springtime, thats all folks, ur welcome, what even is tagging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 03:39:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17738303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paisleystyles/pseuds/paisleystyles
Summary: harry and louis go on a picnic for their one year anniversary.





	love like this

**Author's Note:**

> hi honeys, this is just some baby boyfriend fluff i wrote one night in an attempt to get rid of the horrid writer’s block i’ve been having on my other fic! i ended up thinking was pretty cute, so here you go, hope you all enjoy <3
> 
> there's no specific location, but i based it on a lookout near where i live & the surrounding area!
> 
> title is from ‘love like this’ by kodaline! (a Jam pls give her a listen)

“Louis! Wait for me!  _ Louis!” _

Harry picks up his pace as much as possible, rearranging the containers he’s carrying under both arms and the apple he’s holding in his teeth - “ _ we have to bring something healthy, Haz, just take this” - _ and follows his boyfriend up the hill as fast as he can go. He can already feel his curls sticking to his neck, and his favourite sweater feels a little damp under the arms. God. If Louis would just  _ slow down. _

Ahead of him, Louis is yelling something back down the path, but Harry can’t hear him, the sun-tinted spring air filled with trill sound of birds and the crunch of his Doc Martens on gravel. The path they’re currently on is leading them steadily uphill, to a spot Harry had found on on old map and asked his mum about a couple of weeks earlier. She’d confirmed that it was a lookout, but not a very popular one, although they’d get spectacular views of the wide, sweeping valley and the jagged mountain range beyond.

The sun is hot and the Tupperware keeps slipping through Harry’s sweaty fingers, but he swears his heart has never felt so full. Because today is Harry and Louis’ one year anniversary, today marks one whole year since that kiss in the park, both of them breathless and wide eyed and  _ nervous,  _ and it has without a doubt been the best year of Harry’s 18 and-a-bit years on earth. 

Louis is Harry’s favourite person,  _ ever, _ the last person he texts before bed and the first person he says good morning to. Louis is the person Harry can come to with absolutely anything, any problem he might be facing and know that Louis will listen with serious eyes, fingers tracing soft circles on Harry’s wrists. Louis can make tea exactly the way Harry likes it, knows where to tickle him to make him squirm, knows how to kiss him deep and slow the way he loves. In short, Louis is better than anything Harry ever dared hope for, and he’s constantly amazed at what an amazing person his boyfriend is.

The sun is spilling across the sky like honey, and everything is perfect.

“Harry!”

Harry turns, smiling, at the boy rushing towards him, the sun lighting his caramel hair on fire.

“Let me guess,” he deadpans, “you dropped the food.”

“Nope,” Louis replies, hooking his chin on Harry’s shoulder, hair tickling Harry’s nose. “I found the lookout! We’re almost there, slowpoke.”

“I’m not–” Harry shakes his head. “Do you _ see _ how much I’m carrying here? You’re lucky I haven’t  _ died.” _

“Dramatic, baby,” Louis smiles, “love it when you go all theatre on me.” He grins even wider as Harry huffs in annoyance. “While you’re doing an amazing job as packhorse, maybe I’d better take some of this stuff for you. Don’t want to have to drag you up there."

“Please take some,” Harry says, handing Louis two of the containers and shaking out his right arm gratefully. “I’m in severe pain here.”

Louis scoffs gently, poking Harry on the forehead. ‘You haven’t been wounded in  _ battle _ , Haz, stop flailing everywhere. You’re like a noodle.”

_ “ _ Your noodle, though,” Harry says, softer, tilting his head forward a little.  

“Stop that right now, Harry Styles.” Louis laughs, batting him away. “You  _ know _ I can’t resist the puppy dog eyes, and I think the cupcake icing might be melting.”

“Which is obviously waaay more important.”

“Of course,” Louis smirks, beginning to walk again, “someone very special to me made these. Wouldn’t want to ruin them and make him all sad.”

“You’re the worst,” Harry laughs, but he follows.

The scope of the valley begins to come into view as they round the last corner, the view expanding out in front of them slowly. Green hills surround green farmland, dotted with houses and lakes that look ant-sized from their vantage point. In the distance, the mountains stand tall and strong, and beyond the mountains lies the sea, just a glimmering silver. Harry’s absolutely breathless with wonder, and he can’t believe he’s lived on this range for almost his entire life and never realised quite how beautiful the surrounding area is, tucked into the rest of the landscape. 

“Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Louis says beside him, hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun. “Just how huge everything is, you know? Like, those mountains are so tiny from here. But it took us almost two hours to struggle up one once.”

Harry’s similarly shocked by the sheer scale of the scenery before them, the curves and folds where the valley meets the mountains, the silhouette of the peaks against the pale morning sky. Beside him, Louis is carefully taking pictures on his phone, tongue trapped between his teeth as he tilts the camera from portrait to landscape, and back again.

Harry lets him go for a while, just taking in the view himself, and then sneaks in front of Louis’ phone camera, making faces at the screen while Louis groans, and then groans some more about Harry’s stupid long legs and his curls, which “block the view for miles, Haz,  _ move.” _

Harry ignores him, he  _ knows _ how his hair goes in the heat, ok, and starts walking again, toward the little table that his mum had mentioned. It’s pretty close to the edge, and Harry’s incredibly glad there’s a fence because he suspects Louis’ reaction will be something like–

“We should try to go down there a bit!”

“Louis.”

“What? Maybe there’s, like, a little stream or something that goes down the hill. And we’ll just  _ never _ see it.” Louis moans and pouts at Harry, doing his best puppy-dog eyes.

“Lou, there’s a fence for a reason. Please don’t jump it while I’m looking the other way.”

Louis cackles at this, eyes crinkling in that way that always makes Harry’s insides feel melty, and trots over to Harry, wrapping his arms around Harry’s waist.

“Course not,” he murmurs into Harry’s neck, “not even the possibility of a secret stream could make me jump that fence, baby. It’s a special day, remember?”

“It is?” Harry replies, digging out the tablecloth from the bottom of the picnic basket and spreading it on the grass next to the table, because who wants to sit at a table when there’s grass? “I can’t say I remember. What day is it, exactly?”

Louis just rolls his eyes and starts rooting through a bag, quickly pulling out two plates and two cups. “You’re lucky you’re cute, Harry Styles, because your jokes leave a lot to be desired.”

Harry smirks and ignores him, busy getting out the rest of the food and arranging it on the blanket so it won’t immediately be attacked by ants. Louis flops down beside him, hair inches away from the sandwiches, and closes his eyes, breathing out a deep breath.

“Louis!”

Louis barely stirs, scrunching his nose at the noise and keep his eyes shut. “Harold.”

“Don’t fall  _ asleep _ . I just got all the food out.” Harry whines a little, poking a finger into his boyfriend’s side. “ _ Louis _ .”

“Baby, relax,” Louis says, propping himself up onto one elbow and grinning. “I’m gonna help you devour this feast, don’t worry.” He sits up fully, gesturing to the plates and bowls in front of them. “What are we starting with, Chef Harry?”

At that, Harry blushes, busying himself with putting two sandwiches on a plate for Louis. “I’m not a chef yet,” he murmurs, cheeks warm. “Maybe I won’t be good enough, Lou. Who knows.” Harry’s voice is low, like it always goes when he talks about his biggest dream, because it’s what he’s wanted to do for as long as he can remember. He can’t stand thinking about what might happen if he doesn’t make the grade.

“Harry.” Louis says softly. He tilts Harry’s chin up with his fingers, slowly, and smiles, and he’s the prettiest thing Harry’s ever seen. “You’re an amazing cook, baby. Don’t ever doubt that, ‘kay? You can do anything you set your mind to, and I’m always going to be here cheering you on, yeah?” Louis grins, and looks down at his plate, where one whole sandwich has already been devoured in about two seconds flat. “And asking you to make me food, because you’re so good. Please don’t worry about it, okay?” He places his thumbs on Harry’s forehead, gently massaging the skin there. “I don’t like seeing you all frowny, H. You’re gonna give yourself premature wrinkles.”

Harry feels a little overwhelmed, like he always does when Louis pulls out a speech like that, but in the best way. He leans forward into Louis’ touch, gently resting their foreheads together. “You’re too nice to me, you know that?” Harry murmurs. “I don’t deserve you.”

Louis shakes his head, their foreheads still touching. “No, baby.” His hand finds Harry’s on his lap and links their fingers together tightly. “You deserve anything and everything.”

Harry doesn’t say anything, just leans closer still and kisses Louis softly, sweetly, gently. Louis’ lips are soft and warm and he tastes like  _ home,  _ like lazy days and cozy nights and forever.

“You deserve the whole world,” Harry whispers into Louis’ mouth, “you really do. And I wish I could give it to you.”

Louis makes a little noise that sounds like a laugh, like he’s about to tease Harry for his incredible sappiness, but Harry tilts his head forward and joins their mouths again, and Louis lets him. Harry thinks he could stay here forever, just the sun, the sky, and his favourite boy in the whole wide world soft and warm against him.

And then Harry’s stomach rumbles,  _ loudly,  _ and Louis pulls away, grinning. He pokes a thumb into Harry cheek playfully. “That’s more like it, darling. Now, how about we try some of your masterpieces? Please have some sandwiches so I don’t eat them all myself, I may die.”

“And you say  _ I’m _ dramatic?” Harry retorts, his eyes still a little damp, left hand still linked with Louis’.

“I do.” Louis confirms, around a mouthful of bread. “You are.”

Harry pouts, grabbing his sandwich in one hand and laying his head down in Louis’ lap. He moves around until he’s comfortable, and then takes another bite of bread. “Damn, these  _ are _ good, aren’t they?”

Louis just smiles, bopping Harry’s nose gently with his pinkie. “Course they are, baby.”

They eat their way through two more sandwiches each, and then some of the carrots and hummus, and then thick slices of banana bread, covered with butter that’s just on the right side of melty. They even share the apple, taking turns having bites, and by the end Harry feels like he may explode. Or be sick. Whatever comes first.

“Lou?” He almost moans.

“Mm.”

“Will you hate me if I fall asleep?”

Louis chuckles at this, fingers stilling where they’re currently tugging the knots out of Harry’s curls slowly. “Well  _ this _ is a turnaround. And yes, I will.”

“I don’t think I have any control, anyway. “I’m  _ so _ full, and you  _ know _ I get sleepy when you play with my hair.” Harry’s voice is already a little hazy, eyes shut.

“Fine, but only a little sleep. You need to keep me company, and I don’t want you to be grumpy later if you nap for too long.”

“I wouldn’t.” Harry murmurs.

Louis levels him with a stare Harry can’t see, but he laughs anyway. “I know you’re glaring at me right now. I promise I won’t sleep for too long, and I won’t be grumpy later, ‘kay? Just a–” Harry stops, yawns. “Just a little sleep, Lou.”

Louis smiles and shakes his head, returning to Harry’s curls and humming a tune under his breath. 

 

***

 

Harry wakes to Louis’ voice and something wet on his face, and he opens his eyes immediately. He’s met with the sight of Louis holding the ginger beer bottle, flicking him with small portions of the sticky liquid with the bottle cap. Louis laughs at his expression and takes a sip, grinning.

“Wake up, H.”

Harry groans and sits up quickly, shaking out his curls and wiping his nose. Louis is laughing, and Harry can’t be mad at him for long because, well, he’s Louis. And Harry’s always been a little bit helpless when it comes to Louis.

“You’re a menace, you know that?” Harry says, shaking his head. “I was gonna  _ drink  _ that, you idiot.”

“You wound me, Harry Styles,” Louis murmurs, slipping a little closer. “I have a better idea. I’ve been drinking it, why don’t you just kiss me instead?”

Harry laughs at his boyfriend, tugging Louis closer. “An ulterior motive, huh? Louis Tomlinson, who would have guessed?”

“An incredible surprise,” Louis agrees, closing his eyes. “Now shush and kiss me, please. I let you sleep for a whole twenty minutes.”

“Generous of you, baby,” Harry whispers, “thank you.”

“Shhhh,” is all Louis says, and seals their lips together swiftly.

Harry lets Louis kiss him until he’s warm dizzy, and then he pulls back. “Lou, the cupcakes. We have to eat the cupcakes, I worked  _ so  _ hard on them.”

“Please,” Louis murmurs, punctuating each word with a kiss, “stop. Talking. About. The. Cupcakes.”

_ “Louis!”  _ Harry pulls back properly, sitting on his knees facing his boyfriend. “We’re eating the cupcakes, even if it kills me. Please.”

Louis stops and eyes Harry, seriously. “Wait, really? What’s so important about the bloody cupcakes?”

Harry flushes red, shaking his head. “Nothing.  _ Nothing!”  _ He exhales a deep breath. “I just. They took ages, is all.”

Louis still looking at him suspiciously, but eventually nods, reaching for the container holding the cupcakes.

Abruptly, startling even himself, Harry reaches forward and grabs one before Louis can - iced with pale yellow frosting and topped with a single blue icing flower - and quickly hands it to Louis, blushing again.  _ Wow, you’re really executing this well, Styles. _

Louis frowns at him, looking at Harry like he definitely knows that something is going on now,, but can’t quite put his finger on it. He takes the cupcake anyway, still looking at Harry strangely, but his expression changes when he bites into it and starts chewing.

“H, this is  _ really  _ good. Is it fig? Or blackberry? And–” Louis stops mid-sentence, eyes wide, fixed on something in the cupcake. He turns to Harry with wide, surprised eyes, just staring. “Harry.”

“It’s not, I mean, it isn’t,” Harry stumbles over his words in his haste to get them out. “It’s a promise ring, I’m not, like,  _ god,  _ proposing or anything, I just,” he takes a deep breath and rushes on. “It’s just. I love you so much, Louis, more than I can even understand, more than I thought it was possible to love anyone ever, and I wanted to show you. I wanted to show you that I mean it every time I say I want us to be forever, that I never want to stop loving you. He stops, averting his eyes from his trembling hands and looking up at Louis. “So, yeah.”

Louis still isn’t saying anything, and Harry’s heart rabbits in his chest in the silence. “Lou, I – ”

Louis is crying.

Harry’s breath stops completely, and he reaches for Louis’ hands in a blind panic, grabbing the cupcake back. “Lou, baby. Lou, what’s-"

“Harry, oh my god,” Louis chokes out, rubbing his eyes quickly. “ _ Harry.  _ I love you so damn much, you know that? This is the most beautiful thing anyone’s ever done for me. You’re so –. You’re truly the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and you’re absolutely daft if you think I’m ever gonna let you go . Hand me the damn cupcake, goddammit.”

Harry can feel himself crying a little too as he hands Louis back the cupcake, and watches him push the ring onto his finger. It’s only simple, a cheap gold band split in two with a knot where the two strands join, but Louis is looking at it like it’s a diamond-encrusted engagement ring, and when he turns his gaze on Harry the scorching intensity is still there.

Suddenly Louis laughs, shaking his head. “Only you would end a dramatic love speech with ‘so, yeah.’”

Harry pouts, but reaches for him anyway, quickly joining their lips together. “Wanna show you just how much you mean to me, baby,” he murmurs against Louis’ mouth softly.

“Only you, Harry Styles,” Louis laughs back, the sound sparkly and bright, “you just gave me a  _ promise ring,  _ for God’s sake. I think I have some idea.”

Harry isn’t listening, attacking Louis’ neck noisily, dropping kisses down the slender column of his throat. His fingers move down to Louis’ waistband, gripping at his belt almost frantically.

“Harry, Harry, Ha-” Louis moans at the touch, loud and long, and the sound makes Harry’s head fuzzy with want. “We can’t- ah. Not here, you sex maniac.”

Harry ignores him, mouth still working on Louis’ neck while he unbuttons his trousers clumsily, breath hot on Louis’ skin in short, sharp pants.

“Want you so bad, Lou,” Harry murmurs roughly into Louis’ neck, unwinding his belt. “Please, please, want you.”

“Want you all the time, baby,” Louis whispers back, gently taking Harry’s hands in his own. “Want you so bad it drives me crazy.” He shakes his head, lip quirked into a smirk. “But not here, Styles. Your mother would never forgive me. Plus,” Louis shifts his position on the blanket, “there’s a rock digging into my ass. That’s not how I roll.” He gestures to the ring on his finger, smirking. “I’m classy now.”

“Lou….” Harry groans, his hands under Louis’ shirt, tracing soft patterns on his skin.

“I promise, baby,” Louis says softly, kissing Harry long and deep and slow in the way that still makes Harry weak at the knees, even after a year. “Home, I promise.”

“Fine,” Harry pouts, “fine.” He tugs on Louis’ hand. “Can we go right now?”

This makes Louis laugh for some inexplicable reason, eyes crinkling. “You are truly something else, Harry Styles. Look at this amazing view we have before us, and you want to go home to have  _ sex?  _ Is it all you think about?”

“Yes,” Harry says unabashedly, pulling harder on Louis’ hand. “Basically. I’m 18, Lou. Plus, the view’s  _ way _ better than here.”

Louis laughs ever harder at this, shaking his head. “I’m in love with a sex-crazed maniac. And you did  _ not _ just make that joke.”

Harry just shrugs, haphazardly pushing containers back into the basket and bags, yanking Louis up from where he’s still sprawled on the mat. “Come on, Lou.”

So Louis folds the blanket, and Harry shoulders the bags, and they make their way slowly down the hill, stopping for occasional kisses in patches of dappled sunlight. Louis spies some flowers that he thinks would be perfect in Harry’s hair, and Harry spends five whole minutes up a wild apple tree, despite Louis’ claims that none of the fruit are ripe (he’s right).

Harry doesn’t mind as much as he should when Louis stops to take photos of a bird, or when he persuades Harry to carry him for a few metres before Harry’s legs give out and they both go sprawling onto the grass.

And when they run the last part of the path, chests heaving and arms aching, Harry swears time seems to slow down, just for the two of them, like everything else is fast-forward and they’re moving in languid, glorious slow motion.

There’s no rush, Harry realises at that moment.

They’re young, and in love, and the whole world is waiting. 

 

_ the end _

  


**Author's Note:**

> thank u so so much for reading!!! please leave kudos and a comment if you enjoyed xx  
> id also love u forever and ever if u rb'd the [fic post!!!](https://paisleystyles.tumblr.com/post/182728686764/love-like-this-by-paisleystyles-32k-they-eat)  
> here's my tumblr if you wanna come chat! [paisleystyles](https:/paisleystyles.tumblr.com)  
> \- rosie


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